Bell Atlantic Names Richard Lockwood International Wireless VP

Milan -- Richard R. Lockwood has been named vice president and
regional manager-European and Asia/Pacific wireless operations for
Bell Atlantic International Wireless. In his new capacity, Lockwood
assumes operational responsibilities for Bell Atlantic's wireless
businesses in Italy, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. He will also
pursue future ventures in Europe and the Pacific Rim.

Lockwood was most recently executive vice president-customer care for
Omnitel Pronto Italia (OPI), the second GSM wireless carrier in Italy.
Bell Atlantic is an 11.6 percent owner of OPI. Lockwood joined
Omnitel in March 1994, and was a central player in that company's
successful commercial service launch in December 1995.

Before moving to Omnitel, Lockwood had been managing director and
chief financial officer for the EuroTel wireless companies serving the
Czech Republic and Slovakia. He also served as managing director at
Telecom Paging, New Zealand. Bell Atlantic has an ownership interest
in all of those companies.

"Dick's appointment will help Bell Atlantic further sharpen our
focus
on Europe and Asia, and better leverage our domestic wireless
expertise in international markets. These markets offer some of the
greatest growth potential to be found in the telecommunications
industry today," said Thomas A. Bartlett, president and CEO of Bell
Atlantic International Wireless.

Lockwood will continue to be located in Milan, which is also the
headquarters of Omnitel Pronto Italia. There he will continue to work
closely with the Omnitel senior managers in the highly competitive
Italian wireless marketplace.

"Omnitel's quick time-to-market with its digital GSM service, and
its
ability to serve tens of thousands of eager customers in a high
quality, professional fashion, are a direct result of Dick's
involvement," said Bartlett. "His understanding of every phase
of the
wireless business, and his presence in the heart of Europe, will be
invaluable as we increase our activity in the growing European and
Asian markets."

Lockwood's telecommunications career began in 1967 with the New York
Telephone Company (now NYNEX). He was at AT&T prior to the 1984
divestiture, and joined Bell Atlantic Mobile Systems (now Bell
Atlantic NYNEX Mobile) in 1983. He also served at Bell Atlantic
Paging as chief financial officer.

A graduate of The State University of New York at Albany, with BS and
MS degrees in business administration and accounting, Lockwood is also
a member of the National Association of Accountants and Delta Pi
Epsilon, the National Business Honor Society. He is a past president
of the Association for Retarded Citizens. Lockwood is married with
four grown children.

Bell Atlantic International Wireless oversees Bell Atlantic
Corporation's investments in wireless operations in Mexico, Europe,
and New Zealand. Bell Atlantic Corporation (NYSE: BEL) is at the
forefront of the new communications, entertainment and information
industry. In the mid-Atlantic region, the company is the premier
provider of local telecommunications and advanced services. Globally,
it is one of the largest investors in the high-growth wireless
communications marketplace. Bell Atlantic also owns a substantial
interest in Telecom Corporation of New Zealand and is actively
developing high-growth national and international business
opportunities in all phases of the industry.